Pyrochroidae

Common name:

Cardinal beetles

Number of species:

3

Size Range:

9-17mm

Tarsi:

5-5-4. Lobed.

Images:

Description:

Three medium-sized (9-17mm) bright crimson species in Britain. Schizotus pectinicornis (L.) is the only species with black on the pronotum and also has very pectinate antennae. It is also the rarest, found only in the Scottish Highlands (though there is an old record from Herefordshire). Pyrochroa coccinea (L.) has all-red elytra and pronotum but a black head and a largely southern distribution, while P. serraticornis (Scopoli) is all-red and widespread.

The orange-brown, dorso-ventrally flattened larvae are found beneath bark and can also be identified to species level relatively easily. The smaller S. pecticornis larvae have strongly curved posterior cerci while those of Pyrochroa are short and straight. Pyrochroa serraticornis larvae have a raised bar across the enlarged 8th tergite, near the base, which is absent in P. coccinea.